HTPC build suggestions

M

Matthew Kane

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Dec 1, 2007
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Sup all, I'm after some helpful suggestions from all you [H] members on a HTPC build for a family relative based on and for the following:

* $350-400 absolute max budget for a HTPC case (best if no towers), mobo/cpu/ram and PSU

* It will be used for streaming HD movies as well as casual browsing.
* Case should be able to fit medium sized HSF's as well as a full size graphics card (no low profiles) and be able to fit 2 hard drives with optional possibility of ssd/laptop hard-drive mounts. (Optional for the case: remote control, LCD display)
* Hdd's, graphic cards and optical drive are provided so they are not counted into the budget.
* Preferably quad core based, AMD welcome but best staying with Intel (bit pricier).
* Parts should be available to me down under Australia.

Cheers
 
It might help if you posted where you were planning to order parts from, I can tell you to go to microcenter and buy a 3570k combo but it's not going to do you any good.
 
Yeah that would've helped me a lot to provide your suggestions.
 
I'd start with the i5 3300 and back your way into the rest of the parts based on the budget from there [that PDF is atrociously hard to read].

Get a decent motherboard [4x DDR3 1600 slot should be plenty good, and DDR3 1600 RAM is relatively cheap/common], and maybe an 8 or 16GB DDR3 1600 kit? I noticed they don't sell any intel branded motherboards, which was going to be my suggestion...maybe try an Asus or an ASRock?
 
I'd probably get one of the Asrock Z77s off that list, whichever fits into your budget the best. Don't you guys have real websites down there to order from, this is like piecing together a box in the 90s off the back of a magazine.
 
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Darq said:
I'd start with the i5 3300 and back your way into the rest of the parts based on the budget from there [that PDF is atrociously hard to read].

Get a decent motherboard [4x DDR3 1600 slot should be plenty good, and DDR3 1600 RAM is relatively cheap/common], and maybe an 8 or 16GB DDR3 1600 kit? I noticed they don't sell any intel branded motherboards, which was going to be my suggestion...maybe try an Asus or an ASRock?
Click to expand...

What is your reasoning to get more than 4GB of RAM for a HTPC? Cheap is not a logical answer.
 
Darq said:
I'd start with the i5 3300 and back your way into the rest of the parts based on the budget from there [that PDF is atrociously hard to read].

Get a decent motherboard [4x DDR3 1600 slot should be plenty good, and DDR3 1600 RAM is relatively cheap/common], and maybe an 8 or 16GB DDR3 1600 kit? I noticed they don't sell any intel branded motherboards, which was going to be my suggestion...maybe try an Asus or an ASRock?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions, actually scratch RAM off the budget, I have 5 sets of 8GB Kingston DDR3 1333 RAM kits here, so pretty much now all I need is a case, mobo and cpu. Hdd, gfx card, ram, psu will be provided aside from the budget.

ND40oz said:
I'd probably get one of the Asrock Z77s off that list, whichever fits into your budget the best. Don't you guys have real websites down there to order from, this is like piecing together a box in the 90s off the back of a magazine.
Click to expand...

The site I linked here with the pdf file only use pdf files, they never bothered with a proper website. But it doesn't matter as I'am only 10 minutes away from them. Are any of the listed Assrock mAtx Z77 mobo's any good?

Trepidati0n said:
What is your reasoning to get more than 4GB of RAM for a HTPC? Cheap is not a logical answer.
Click to expand...

I've got a 8GB kit I'm throwing in so it's no problem. Just to add,this HTPC will be hooked up to 40inch Sony LCD tv, it will be downloading/streaming music, HD movies/content, as well as PKR online.
 
The Z77-Pro-4-M is your best bang for the buck in that list. I don't see the Z77E-ITX listed but if you wanted to go with an ITX case, that's the one to get. Are you only planning on 1 GPU and no other add-in cards?
 
Just checking now I've got a Asus AM3 board lying around, would it also be good option to buy a used cheap Phenom X4/6 cpu and drop that in? Also just another change, $500 budget includes prices for hdd's, cpu, ram and psu. I don't want to use some of my old components in this new build.
 
Darq said:
I'd start with the i5 3300 and back your way into the rest of the parts based on the budget from there.
Click to expand...

While the OP states he wants a quand core... I see no need for an i5 out of his use case. An i3 would be sufficient, esp if he's using a gfx card... which doesnt sound necessary either.

I recommend an i3, iTX mobo, 4GB RAM max, and a small PSU to power it (spend more for a higher rating to assist with power efficiencies), bundled in the smallest chassis you could get. A SSD only big enough for your OS, and a green drive for storage. (take whatever you already had, throw it in the build, and save the cash for a rainy day or a bigger storage drive)
 
Itx is unfortunately out of the question they are expensive down here. For roughly 1/3 of the price I can get a decent mATX build. An i3 is what I've been considering as well. A quad will be sort of overkill and expensive for the family relative that will be using this build.
 
Yes, as I mentioned an i3 will be all you need. mATX is fine too, and if you get one with on-board gfx thats is all you'd need too. Less components = Less power, less heat, less cooling, less noise; and as a by-product a smaller case. All of those appeal to a HTPC. Since you'll need minimal power, you can try to find a low wattage PSU that is passively cooled. Stock HSF, and one chassis fan is all you'd need at this point to keep noise levels down.

SSD is not even necessary, but still very good to have. If that is not in your budget, a large green drive will be more than enough storage for a typcial user. Throw in some RAM, and an optical drive (if you want but discs are out, streaming is in). Small, quite, powerful yet inexpensive
 
Yep, thanks for all those suggestions here, have finalised on a build

i5 3470 as this rig won't be upgraded till it breaks down and some video encoding/ripping will be done.
6GB worth of Kingston DDR3 1333 (spare 4 + 2GB)
1TB Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 hdd
Haven't decided on the mobo yet, choosing between two mATX boards (depending on which one is in stock). Will be 75M chipset board.
A spare Asus 4670 passively cooled gfx card
Have a Antec HE Neo 550 that I will be throwing in
And a small white CFI mATX case.

Total cost is < $400.
 
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